The revival of ancient brews offers a taste of history, with beer archaeologists delving back millennia to recreate brews from ancient civilizations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome using ancient methods and ingredients.
Travis Rupp, known as The Beer Archaeologist, combines his expertise in Classics and Anthropology with brewing experience to recreate archaic beers. These rebrews shed light on ancient brewing techniques and flavorings, highlighting the bold flavors favored by our ancestors.
While modern brewing relies heavily on hops, ancient brewers utilized various flavorings before their introduction, imparting unique tastes to their brews. For example, a Mycenaean-era recipe from around 1600-1100 BCE includes barley, wheat, acorn flour, figs, and elderberries.
Rebrewing ancient beers not only provides a glimpse into the past but also challenges the notion of primitive brewing practices. Modern brewers like Michaela Charles have successfully recreated ancient Egyptian beer using archaeological evidence and traditional open vessel fermentation methods.
Patrick McGovern, known as the "Indiana Jones of Ancient Ales," pioneered the molecular analysis of ancient residues, leading to the creation of popular rebrews like Midas Touch. Collaborations between historians, brewers, and archaeologists have resulted in a diverse range of ancient-inspired ales, such as gruit ales flavored with botanicals.
British brewers have also embraced the rebrewing trend, experimenting with medieval gruit ales and foraged botanicals. These projects highlight the potential of ancient brewing techniques and ingredients in modern beer production.
Looking ahead, brewers like Charles envision continued exploration of ancient brewing methods, including the use of terracotta vessels and ancient grains. With evidence of beer brewing dating back over 13,000 years, there's much more history waiting to be rediscovered and rebrewed.
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